Help me decide which one to buy...

[Ludic]

Been out of the loop with VR and haven't kept up with the developments or what's happening. But last weekend I tried my brother-in-law's Vive room scale setup and loved it and the wife told me I could buy a system. I'm seeing the deep discounted Rift package and honestly don't know which way to go since I've tried the Vive and not the Rift.

If you were to buy into an ecosystem right now which one would you get? I'm told the Rift has solved all of the differences between it and the Vive. I've had it in my head that if I were ever to buy a VR headset it'd be the Vive but $399 vs. $799 is really hard to ignore....

 

[TheSmJ]

Short and Sweet:

* If cost is any sort of concern for you *and/or* your play area is to be less than ~15'x15', get a Rift.
* If cost is no concern for you *and* your play area is greater than 15'x15', get a Vive.

The Long Answer:

Unlike a year ago, both headsets are too similar to outright say one is better than the other (price aside). The biggest difference between the two is that the Vive's tracking system is capable of working in very large play areas, whereas the Rift is limited to around 15'x15' when four sensors are used (two come with the Rift, so that would require the purchase of two more sensors). Generally speaking, those with play areas 8'x8' or smaller can get away with the two sensors the Rift comes with out of the box. Areas greater than 8'x8' but no more than 12'x12' will want to purchase a 3rd sensor (an extra $60) for roomscale games, and any larger than 12'x12' will benefit from a total of 4 sensors.* It's generally accepted that the Rift's tracking capabilities top out at 15'x15', but I've only seen two users actually test this limit.

Some people claim the Rift is more comfortable than the Vive. Others make the opposite claim. Out of the box, the Rift has a ridgid head strap with built-in headphones and is designed to be easily taken off and put on, while balancing the weight of the HMD itself across your head so it feels lighter than it is. The Vive comes with standard elastic+velcro straps and require you to supply your own headphones (or use the included earbuds), but for an extra $100, HTC now offers a "Deluxe Audio Strap" that functions much like the one on the Rift, with a rigid band and integrated headphones.

The lenses in each headset are different and opinions differ wildly as to which is "better"- but the broad strokes are that the "sweet spot" (that is, the part of the lense that you'll want to look though for things to remain in focus) is larger on the Rift, and the "screen door effect" is minimized, but you lose a few degrees of "field of view" vs. the Vive, which has a smaller "sweet spot", more apparent "screen door effect", but in turn it has a slightly larger field of view, and the colors are considered by many to appear more vibrant than they are in the Rift.

As for controllers: The Oculus Rift's Touch controllers are considered to be more ergonomic and generally all-around better than the stock Vive "wand" controllers by the vast majority of people who have tried both. Valve has been hinting that the new "Knuckles" controllers will be released soon**, but nobody knows exactly when they will be released, or how much they will cost.

Outside of these factors - the Rift can play all VR games, whether they come from Steam or Oculus Home. The Vive can play all games on Steam, and can play Oculus Home games using a hack\mod called "ReVive". The Rift comes with a bunch of high quality games for free, including (but certainly not limited to) Dead and Buried and Robo Recall, while the Vive currently only comes with Star Trek Bridge Crew (but that promotion may have already ended). Both headsets are confirmed to be receiving add-on wireless modules in the near-term.

So that pretty much leaves the overall price of each system. As it stands, the Rift costs $400 for the HMD itself, the Touch controllers and two sensors. Each additional sensor (if you need them) costs an extra $60. The Vive costs $800 for the HMD itself, the wand controllers, and its two "Lighthouse" boxes (analogues to Rift's sensors). The Deluxe Audio Strap costs an extra $100, and while Valve has yet to announce the price of the new Knuckles controllers, I for one would be shocked if they were less than $150, and expect them to be closer to $200.

* These numbers aren't in any way absolute. This is the general consensus based on my own experiences and the experiences of others both posted here and on Reddit over the last few months. Generally speaking, if you plan on playing in an area greater than 8'x8', get a 3rd sensor and see how it is before getting a 4th.

** Valve Time

 

[Ludic]

I guess the question is if the value of the lower cost Rift makes up for it being slightly inferior then. And I really can't answer that without trying it. I'm still leaning towards the Vive but it is quite the difference in price.

 

[MrC4]

Very balanced assessment by TheSmJ. I have the Rift as I am a cheap bastard and for $400 with touch controllers, you can't beat the value it offers right now.

 

[heatlesssun]

Got the Rift in yesterday and just got it setup this evening with just two camera for now while I get a USB extension cable to get the 3rd setup. I was pleasantly surprised at how well tracking worked with two cameras though there are some dead spots when the cameras are behind me, my play area is about 7x8 so not at all large. The Rift is a significantly lighter and more comfortable but not night day, at least with the Vive Deluxe Audio Strap. The Rift has a sharper display though the FOV is a bit better on the Vive, right now I'd say the Rift is better but again not night and day.

With three camera the Rift comes in at $460 so at a difference of $340 for now the Rift is simply a much better deal with advantages over the Vive. Probably the biggest differentiator is software. I think Steam has a better home experience than Oculus but then there are the platform only titles though tools like ReVive help a lot with that. I bought the Vive last year before the touch controllers came out and I got $100 and another $100 is a Microsoft Store gift card so at $600 not a bad deal at the time. If I had to do it today and pick I'd go with the Rift because of the price alone. I think both are great products though a lot of folks around here these days seem to be partial to Rift

 

[TheSmJ]

I was pleasantly surprised at how well tracking worked with two cameras though there are some dead spots when the cameras are behind me, my play area is about 7x8 so not at all large.

If you only have two sensors connected - try placing them in opposite corners rather than having both on the same wall. So, basically place them exactly how you would with Vive's lighthouses. They also work best when mounted to a wall ~7.5' off the floor and angled 45 deg. towards the floor, aiming at the center of the play area (again, just like the lighthouses).

 

[heatlesssun]

If you only have two sensors connected - try placing them in opposite corners rather than having both on the same wall. So, basically place them exactly how you would with Vive's lighthouses. They also work best when mounted to a wall ~7.5' off the floor and angled 45 deg. towards the floor, aiming at the center of the play area (again, just like the lighthouses).

Thanks for the info. The two cameras was just temporary, I have the USB cable for the third coming today so I'll have three cameras at the corners of my play space at close to 8' high each.

 

[reaper12]

I guess the question is if the value of the lower cost Rift makes up for it being slightly inferior then. And I really can't answer that without trying it. I'm still leaning towards the Vive but it is quite the difference in price.

The Rift isn't inferior, if you can get that out of your head, then you will be able to make a much more informed choice. The two headsets are very similar. The majority of people will find very little between them. They can both run the same games and software, tracking is about the same once you get a 3 sensor setup on the Rift.

There are only three major differences at the moment
1. Price $340 difference if you have 3 sensors.
2. Type of tracking system used. Vive uses Lighthouses in two corners two corners of the room, Oculus uses cameras(sensor), comes with 2, you can buy two more, 3 is fine, unless you have a really large play are. For the lighthouse system, you just need to have a socket near the lighthouses for them to plug into. For the Camera system, the cameras have to be connected back to the computer using USB cables.
3. Controllers. The Rift's Touch controllers are better than the Vive Wands.

There is one other thing that I haven't mentioned and that's bundled software. With the Rift, you get a lot of free software and games. Robo Recall, Echo Arena, Quill, Medium, Lucky's Tale, Henry, Rip Coil, Toybox, Dead and Buried, Dragon's Front, Dear Angelica, Lost and Farlands. Think that's them all.

So, in conclusion, the advice I would give if both headsets were the same price:- Both Headsets are fantastic, you will have an equally good time no matter which headset you get, go with whatever one you think you would like the most.

But, with the price difference between them, Get the Rift.

 

[mnewxcv]

What cables do these things need to hook up to a pc? I haven't had hands on experience with either yet. Just wondering how people are moving around in a 15x15 area with cables around their feet.

 

[Supercharged_Z06]

As an owner of both systems, I'd add that if your play area in which you want to utilize VR is 15' x 15' or larger, then the Vive would be the better choice as it's tracking tech handles larger areas better. Most folks don't have VR dedicated play areas that large though... and if they do, and choose a Rift, then a 4 sensor setup might be worth exploring.

Like Reaper says, both systems are pretty much equivalent. Saying that the Rift is inferior is utter bullshit, I actually use my Rift more and prefer it over my Vive. The cost difference between the two however is a really big con against going with the Vive. You get a ton more bang for the buck with a Rift setup.

 

[Supercharged_Z06]

What cables do these things need to hook up to a pc? I haven't had hands on experience with either yet. Just wondering how people are moving around in a 15x15 area with cables around their feet.

The headsets both come with a long ~16' custom integrated HDMI/USB cable that tethers the HMD to the PC. That one cable is the only thing that drags around. You get used to it - at least I did.

 

[reaper12]

Thanks for the info. The two cameras was just temporary, I have the USB cable for the third coming today so I'll have three cameras at the corners of my play space at close to 8' high each.

If you are a perfectionist, download deskscene. You can see exactly what the Sensors see, change viewpoints, height levels etc. This is very useful if you want to get the best locations for your sensors. It's actually a pretty cool little utility.

 

[BecauseScience]

I'm extremely happy with my Rift but I had to add a few accessories to get there.

I needed an add-in USB 3.0 card. My onboard USB 3.0 ports didn't work reliably with the Rift even with a single sensor. It was an older (but premium) motherboard.

I wasn't happy plugging the Rift into the back of my PC so I bought a USB 3.0 + HDMI front panel. Not only was it a hassle plugging and unplugging in the back, I worried about pulling too hard on the cable while in VR and damaging ports. With the cable plugged in the front of the PC, the connectors can pull out in a straight-ish fashion and at worst damage my front panel.

I went with a premium USB card so the total was around $120 for both things. You can use a cheaper USB card ($40ish) but I wanted one that can handle four sensors in the future. Other people prefer simple (and inexpensive) extension cables in place of the front panel.

Be aware that you might need/want these extras and it could add $100-120 to your Rift bill.

Adding a third (rear) sensor can be tricky and expensive depending on you room. For a clean install in my room, a rear sensor would require a long fiber optic USB extension cable that costs over $100 plus a powered USB hub. A "two corner" sensor arrangement would require two of those $100 extension cables and two hubs.

That said, the Rift touch controllers blow the Vive controllers out of the water in my opinion so I'd go Rift again in a heartbeat. HMD and controller tracking is very accurate and smooth for me on the current Rift software. I read that it was substandard in the past but it's spot on today.

 

[TheSmJ]

I'm extremely happy with my Rift but I had to add a few accessories to get there.

I needed an add-in USB 3.0 card. My onboard USB 3.0 ports didn't work reliably with the Rift even with a single sensor. It was an older (but premium) motherboard.

I wasn't happy plugging the Rift into the back of my PC so I bought a USB 3.0 + HDMI front panel. Not only was it a hassle plugging and unplugging in the back, I worried about pulling too hard on the cable while in VR and damaging ports. With the cable plugged in the front of the PC, the connectors can pull out in a straight-ish fashion and at worst damage my front panel.

I went with a premium USB card so the total was around $120 for both things. You can use a cheaper USB card ($40ish) but I wanted one that can handle four sensors in the future. Other people prefer simple (and inexpensive) extension cables in place of the front panel.

Be aware that you might need/want these extras and it could add $100-120 to your Rift bill.

Adding a third (rear) sensor can be tricky and expensive depending on you room. For a clean install in my room, a rear sensor would require a long fiber optic USB extension cable that costs over $100 plus a powered USB hub. A "two corner" sensor arrangement would require two of those $100 extension cables and two hubs.

That said, the Rift touch controllers blow the Vive controllers out of the water in my opinion so I'd go Rift again in a heartbeat. HMD and controller tracking is very accurate and smooth for me on the current Rift software. I read that it was substandard in the past but it's spot on today.

Oculus recommends a USB3 adapter for $25 on Amazon which supports two sensors. Oculus recommends running any additional sensors in USB2 ports. But, I have yet to see any tests that show any difference in tracking between USB2 and 3 modes.

I'm using an old Z68 mobo, and none of the USB3 ports are supported. I have two sensors connected to the $25 USB3 card I linked to earlier, one sensor in one of the motherboard's USB2 ports, and the HMD itself connected to one of the motherboard's "unsupported" USB3 ports.

 

[Decibel]

Go with a Rift. Last year the Vive was clearly the better choice, but times have changed. The experiences are nearly identical, they're both great. In no way is the Vive worth $400 more.

 

[heatlesssun]

So got my Rift setup with 3 cameras. Unfortunately the active 30' USB 3.0 doesn't seem to play nice so I repositioned the cameras such that I'm facing the opposite direction I do the Vive. Not a huge deal other than the headset code is now in front me but so far again it's not a big deal, no more than when turning with a cord in any position. Tracking seems very good there is a dead spot at the extreme back edge of my play space but so near the wall anyway that it shouldn't matter.

I think the thing I like least about the Rift so far are the controllers. I just don't like the grip button. I get the idea that it's meant to mimic real gripping unlike the Vive controller but it just doesn't click with me like the Vive controllers. Played a lot of Robo Recall and that is a blast, tried a couple of games I've played on the Vive and it mostly seems to feel the same tracking and performance wise. I do like the lighter weight and it doesn't get as hot as the Vive inside the headset, less power going into it.

 

[Ludic]

I said slightly inferior because of the Vive's exterior camera, and the chaperone system. But again, the price difference doesn't make up for a single camera. Running cables from my PC to each of the cameras is something that I'm not going to like very much though. Plus I'd really like to be married to the SteamVR ecosystem rather than the Oculus one, and my brother-in-law owns a Vive so it feels like my friends having a PlayStation and I go get an Xbox lol. Knuckle controllers are coming for the Vive that will eliminate point #3 but I do agree on that too.

I think if I can get a pre-owned Vive for like $500 I'd go in that direction, but I'm might just pick up the Rift anyway because my wife said I could spend the money and I don't know how long that's good for lol.

The Rift isn't inferior, if you can get that out of your head, then you will be able to make a much more informed choice. The two headsets are very similar. The majority of people will find very little between them. They can both run the same games and software, tracking is about the same once you get a 3 sensor setup on the Rift.

There are only three major differences at the moment
1. Price $340 difference if you have 3 sensors.
2. Type of tracking system used. Vive uses Lighthouses in two corners two corners of the room, Oculus uses cameras(sensor), comes with 2, you can buy two more, 3 is fine, unless you have a really large play are. For the lighthouse system, you just need to have a socket near the lighthouses for them to plug into. For the Camera system, the cameras have to be connected back to the computer using USB cables.
3. Controllers. The Rift's Touch controllers are better than the Vive Wands.

There is one other thing that I haven't mentioned and that's bundled software. With the Rift, you get a lot of free software and games. Robo Recall, Echo Arena, Quill, Medium, Lucky's Tale, Henry, Rip Coil, Toybox, Dead and Buried, Dragon's Front, Dear Angelica, Lost and Farlands. Think that's them all.

So, in conclusion, the advice I would give if both headsets were the same price:- Both Headsets are fantastic, you will have an equally good time no matter which headset you get, go with whatever one you think you would like the most.

But, with the price difference between them, Get the Rift.

 

[TheSmJ]

I said slightly inferior because of the Vive's exterior camera, and the chaperone system. But again, the price difference doesn't make up for a single camera. Running cables from my PC to each of the cameras is something that I'm not going to like very much though. Plus I'd really like to be married to the SteamVR ecosystem rather than the Oculus one, and my brother-in-law owns a Vive so it feels like my friends having a PlayStation and I go get an Xbox lol. Knuckle controllers are coming for the Vive that will eliminate point #3 but I do agree on that too.

I think if I can get a pre-owned Vive for like $500 I'd go in that direction, but I'm might just pick up the Rift anyway because my wife said I could spend the money and I don't know how long that's good for lol.

The Rift uses Guardian, which is identical to Vive's Chaperone. In fact, you can still use Chaperone when running a game that uses the OpenVR API (I keep it disabled because it's redundant to Oculus' Guardian).

The fact that Rift's sensors need to be connected via USB is a downside compared to Vive's lighthouses. But that isn't really an issue once they're set up and the wires are hidden. Lighthouse isn't cordless either.

It's true that the Rift doesn't have an external camera. That's really the only feature Vive has that the Rift is missing.

You aren't tied to either storefront with either headset. The Rift can play Steam games out of the box, and Vive can play Home games with ReVive.

 

[Decibel]

Are you married to Nvidia or AMD because you have to install their drivers? Rift works fine in SteamVR. Half my VR purchases and a third of my time has been in Steam.

It is more like your friends all have Dells and you bought an HP.

You're splitting hairs. Rift is not inferior to Vive, Vive is not inferior to Rift. They have differences, but it's more like a Camry vs an Accord than like a motorcycle vs a dump truck.

Whichever one you get, set up an Oculus account and claim Echo Arena while it's still free.

 

[N2OInferno]

Are you married to Nvidia or AMD because you have to install their drivers? Rift works fine in SteamVR. Half my VR purchases and a third of my time has been in Steam.

It is more like your friends all have Dells and you bought an HP.

You're splitting hairs. Rift is not inferior to Vive, Vive is not inferior to Rift. They have differences, but it's more like a Camry vs an Accord than like a motorcycle vs a dump truck.

Whichever one you get, set up an Oculus account and claim Echo Arena while it's still free.

Thanks. I've had a Rift for a week now and didn't know Echo Arena was free. Went and grabbed it.

The newest beta version of Oculus will automatically pick up the Steam VR games and add them to your Oculus library. You have to play them once first, but that's how I added in Elite Dangerous. No worries on compatibility.

 

[KickAssCop]

Get the Rift. For about 600 I have now Rift and about ~20 games.
Also my son played Vive in the mall and says it is a POS in graphics compared to the Rift. Not sure what he saw but if you take a 13 year old kid's word (which I do), it just makes me happy about my purchase.

 

[RogueTadhg]

the SDE effect is worse on the Vive

That pimax 4k is giving me 4k's worth of screen envy. (2k per eye). I'm willing to see how the Pimax really behaves compared to the Oculus. I've been able to block out the SDE for the most part. However the times that I can really see it and not ignore it is when I use applications like Virtual Desktop where small text becomes wrecked.

 

[Nenu]

I own both the Rift and Vive.
I cant use the Vive, the lack of focus and extra blurring dont work well with me.
Its also heavier, more front heavy, not as comfortable or as good a fit, sound isnt as good, earphones are awkward to use, controllers not as good ...
The Rift is the better experience in almost every way.

 

[heatlesssun]

I own both the Rift and Vive.
I cant use the Vive, the lack of focus and extra blurring dont work well with me.
Its also heavier, more front heavy, not as comfortable or as good a fit, sound isnt as good, earphones are awkward to use, controllers not as good ...
The Rift is the better experience in almost every way.

Only had my Vive for a week now but I don't think the difference is that clear cut. Yes the Vive is heavier and I can agree that the Rift's visuals are a crisper but it's not radically better and I think the Rift's imaging isn't as bright which makes darker scenes not as vivid. And with the Vive's Deluxe Audio Strap, you get a better built-in headphone solution though that is an additional $100. And setting up room scale, in a larger space it's just going to be easier with the Vive not having to run three cables to a PC, just two to the nearest power outlet. As for the controllers, I think it's a wash. I really don't like the grip trigger setup on the Rift. It's there to more easily simulate gripping but there are games where that is awkward though on the flip side the Vive's controllers treat gripping more like a function key and not a natural gripping process, holding the grip constantly on the Vive isn't comfortable. Then there's the software side where it does seem most developers are targeting for the Vive and its controllers though the Rift has some nice exclusives.

Overall I think it's a wash technically but the Rift's pricing makes all difference right now. I'd only recommend the Vive for larger play spaces where long cable runs would be problematic.

 

[RogueTadhg]

The first thing I did when I got my Rift was unscrew the built-in audio headphones.

 

[MrC4]

The first thing I did when I got my Rift was unscrew the built-in audio headphones.

Why is that? I find the built in headphones sound quality to be pretty decent, though we are talking about 49 year old ears.

 

[RogueTadhg]

Just picky, I guess. I have enough issues getting them on and off without extra fluff in my way. That and I already have headphones that I love to wear and sound perfect that emulates the sound stage. I don't mind the extra step of finding headphones while being blinded.

 

[MrC4]

I don't mind the extra step of finding headphones while being blinded.

Like an idiot, I always forget to grab my touch controllers before putting on the visor. Knocked over sensors, finger prints on my LCD are par for the course!

 

[RogueTadhg]

After the first time of blindly feeling around my desk. I've learned a few things:

1. Close the lid of my shaker bottle.
2. Don't have half-eaten food around, especially if it's in sauce or liquid.
3. Move mini-fridges away from your play area.
4. Don't play Robot Recall, Space Pirate Trainer, Gorn, Dead and Buried, Echo Arena or any other game that requires you to stand up when you've got less than a 6x6 play area.
5. Dell U3011s are remarkably durable and can take a punch to the upper-middle of the screen
6. Pre-position your touch controllers and headphones infront of your area.
7. If you think you're too close to something, you probably are.
8. If you think you're not close to something, you probably aren't.
9. Have a fan blowing.
10. After an hour of VR gaming, you look like you've worked really really hard.

 

[BecauseScience]

the SDE effect is worse on the Vive

That pimax 4k is giving me 4k's worth of screen envy. (2k per eye). I'm willing to see how the Pimax really behaves compared to the Oculus. I've been able to block out the SDE for the most part. However the times that I can really see it and not ignore it is when I use applications like Virtual Desktop where small text becomes wrecked.

That Pimax shot looks damn good. What's the source of the comparison shot?

 

[RogueTadhg]

There's no head tracking and software issues. :\

maybe it's possible to swap screens with the Oculus?

 

[BecauseScience]

After the first time of blindly feeling around my desk. I've learned a few things:

1. Close the lid of my shaker bottle.
2. Don't have half-eaten food around, especially if it's in sauce or liquid.
3. Move mini-fridges away from your play area.
4. Don't play Robot Recall, Space Pirate Trainer, Gorn, Dead and Buried, Echo Arena or any other game that requires you to stand up when you've got less than a 6x6 play area.
5. Dell U3011s are remarkably durable and can take a punch to the upper-middle of the screen
6. Pre-position your touch controllers and headphones infront of your area.
7. If you think you're too close to something, you probably are.
8. If you think you're not close to something, you probably aren't.
9. Have a fan blowing.
10. After an hour of VR gaming, you look like you've worked really really hard.

Somebody needs to make drink trackers so we can see our drinks in VR, same way the controllers show up when you set them down.

There's no head tracking and software issues. :\

maybe it's possible to swap screens with the Oculus?

I know it's not good for games. No positional tracking, no controllers. It's probably great for video though.

The whole upscale to 4k as a solution to SDE is genius. Amazing HTC and Oculus didn't think of it.

 

[RogueTadhg]

Somebody needs to make drink trackers so we can see our drinks in VR, same way the controllers show up when you set them down.



I know it's not good for games. No positional tracking, no controllers. It's probably great for video though.

The whole upscale to 4k as a solution to SDE is genius. Amazing HTC and Oculus didn't think of it.

I'm sure they thought about it. These headsets really stick to the 90 Hz range, which is probably why they didn't go with the higher screen. Pimax 4k runs at 60 hz. ...I'm told it's not as vomit inducing as we were told it would be.

I can definitely see the next generation of headsets with better screens. Pimax really shows that it can be done. I'd be interested in hearing if someone tore down a Pimax screen and ghetto fitted it to a Rift. The Oculus and Vive's screen have a ~456 ppi. compared to other phones are generally a lot more. It doesn't help that we're inches away with a magnifier at the screen. The problem with pushing 2k per eye is the amount of hardware needed to run them. But I would suggest, as Space Pirate Trainer does, give the option to control the quality of the game. It's one of the benefits to a PC game afterall.

 

[Ragenrok]

I'm hoping that they just make their Gen 2 HMD swappable so all I have to do is buy the Rift 2 HMD and it will work with my sensors and touch controllers.

 

[Ludic]

This is exactly what swung me to a Vive over a Rift. Felt more like buying an upgradeable PC rather than a console.

I'm hoping that they just make their Gen 2 HMD swappable so all I have to do is buy the Rift 2 HMD and it will work with my sensors and touch controllers.

 

[Ragenrok]

This is exactly what swung me to a Vive over a Rift. Felt more like buying an upgradeable PC rather than a console.

ya thats one of the upsides to the vive I think most people ignore is the fact that they have already stated the HMD is up-gradable in the future. Im hoping though that because the rift doesn't use fancy Bluetooth trackers and simply IR lights it would be easy for them to make the GEN 2 version compatible

 

[reaper12]

This is exactly what swung me to a Vive over a Rift. Felt more like buying an upgradeable PC rather than a console.

ya thats one of the upsides to the vive I think most people ignore is the fact that they have already stated the HMD is up-gradable in the future. Im hoping though that because the rift doesn't use fancy Bluetooth trackers and simply IR lights it would be easy for them to make the GEN 2 version compatible

What HTC meant by Upgradable is that they are adding Pucks and working with TP cast to bring wireless to the headset etc.

I will be very surprised if gen 2 headsets work with current tracking solutions. Several companies have already demonstrated wireless headsets and inside out tracking in January this year. Vice, Oculus, Google, Intel already have solutions for complete freedom from any cables. No lighthouses, no cameras, no wires in the back of the headset.

If you based your purchase based on that, then you will be disappointed.

 

[Ragenrok]

What HTC meant by Upgradable is that they are adding Pucks and working with TP cast to bring wireless to the headset etc.

I will be very surprised if gen 2 headsets work with current tracking solutions. Several companies have already demonstrated wireless headsets and inside out tracking in January this year. Vice, Oculus, Google, Intel already have solutions for complete freedom from any cables. No lighthouses, no cameras, no wires in the back of the headset.

If you based your purchase based on that, then you will be disappointed.

I based my purchase on the rift dropping you $400. If I can get a solid 2 years of use from it I'm happy lol. I'm just hoping that the next gen or even gen 1.5 that just upgrades the resolution is comparable with current controllers to help keep cost down

 

[Supercharged_Z06]

This is exactly what swung me to a Vive over a Rift. Felt more like buying an upgradeable PC rather than a console.

LOL! Seriously?! The hardware for both the Rift and the Vive is purpose built and there is nothing “upgradeable” about either HMD. When VR Gen 2 finally arrives, we’ll all be upgrading by buying brand new hardware that replaces what was before. Your statement that you “Felt more like buying an upgradeable PC” by purchasing a Vive over a Rift actually is pretty ludicrous. There is NOTHING upgradeable as to the core HMD hardware for either headset - I.E. what feeds your eyeballs and ears. I own/use both and can assure you that they are both pretty much one-offs like buying a PC monitor - there is no upgrading, it’s a sunk cost/investment for both HMDs. The deluxe head strap for the Vive is just a convenience enhancement to bring it on par with the Rift... it does nothing to the underlying tech. Same goes for the TPcast wireless add-on, which just gets rid of a cable, but the underlying VR tech still remains untouched.

The Lighthouses/cameras and controllers will most likely be reusable perhaps, but given the advances made in the next couple of years, I seriously doubt they will stay as they are either... so they aren’t “upgradeable”... more like replaceable.

With all that said, I am looking forward to Gen 2 VR and will gladly buy in to it when it arrives.

 

[reaper12]

I based my purchase on the rift dropping you $400. If I can get a solid 2 years of use from it I'm happy lol. I'm just hoping that the next gen or even gen 1.5 that just upgrades the resolution is comparable with current controllers to help keep cost down

Sorry, I was directing that part of my post to Ludic.